A Tale of Three Communities

By
August 19, 2006

This season is the first year of the UIL crowning not one but two State Champions in Six-Man Football. Like it or not it is here to stay. Well, at least this season and next.

Something else that is happening this season is that Eden, Knox City, and Rankin are all going to play Six-Man football. Hart is going to play Six-Man also but as a outlaw schedule and we might discuss that in a later blog but as this is titled A Tale of Three Communities, not now.

Eden is no garden at this time. They are in a drought just like the rest of us and they can only water once a week and as a result, the football field isn’t in its best shape. I feel sorry for the kind gentleman there that is in charge of the field. It is really eating on him. He takes his job very seriously. He needs a good rain to help him jump over the bar so to speak. His daughter can give him a lesson or two about getting over the bar but that too is another story.

The decision was made for Eden to come up to Six-Man and it would appear that not everyone is too happy about that. As a matter of fact it seems like there are some real sore heads about it. I can’t guarantee that Eden will be successful at the Six-Man level. I certainly hope they will be. After going 1-9 in 11 man last season, a few wins would be welcomed.

Daniel Fontenot is the “new� coach in Eden. He certainly wants his team to do well just as I do. Now that the decision is in place and Eden is going to play Six-man, it would really be helpful to him and the kids of Eden if the community would get behind this program 100 %. It just so happens that they are in the same district as powerhouse Richland Springs is in. I would guess that Eden will be playing for the second place in that district and it is a very doable thing.

What kind of Booster Club does Eden have? I don’t know. What I do know is Richland Springs has the best in the state and if you Eden people want their help all you got to do is ask and they will show you the ropes. You fans in Eden don’t owe me a thing. You do owe it to your kids to back them in this new endeavor. Just Do It!

Over in Knox City, the town there is real excited about coming up to Six-Man. That is the way it should be. Coach Mitch Lee will teach his GreyHounds more in a single day than what they ever knew about playing with eleven. I don’t know what kind of Offense he will run but I won’t be surprised to see him using the J Bird. You KC fans are going to be in for lots of fun. Knox City has got lots of speed and that will cove a multitude of sins that they may make due to the lack of experience of playing Six-Man.

Mitch Lee knows what it takes to win. He has a proven record. Are the young men that are out for football in Knox City coachable? If they are, mark my word, Knox City will be a force to be reckoned with this first season. Are there problems ahead for KC? Thay are in a STRONG district. Throckmorton, Rule, Aspermont, and Spur will make KC earn any district win they get.

Rankin. Home of the Red Devils. Through the years that has equated to way more wins than losses. Rankin has been known to put the fear of God in their opponents over the years. Times gone by, they were a sure bet to make the playoffs. This season coming up to Six-Man, they have a fairly large task ahead of them to make the playoffs as they have both Garden City and Fort Davis in their district. Lenorah Grady and Ackerly Sands round out this district. The Devils will want to make a statement if they can to carry on their outstanding tradition of winning football.

Most Six-Man faithful will tell you Rankin has already made a statement of sort by going out and hiring Danny Davis as the HC to lead them into the Six-Man era. Not a bad choice. As the HC at Throckmorton for the last two years, he has a record of 28-1 and a State Championship to go with it. He will be the first to tell you that he was with the Throckmorton players longer than his two years as HC. He will also be the first to tell you that what happened at Throckmorton was special and is very difficult to duplicate. I will be the first to tell you that Danny Davis is going to field a competitive team at Rankin and the other teams in the district, all of them, had better be on their toes.

The fans in Rankin don’t hope to win, they expect to win and they have had some pretty successful teams in the past and they will expect it on the Six-Man level as well. They take pride in their football. If the players at Rankin are as dedicated to winning as Coach Davis is, Rankin fans will have lots to be proud of this season.

I attended a scrimmage today and it was fun but no substitute for a real game. I have been chomping at the bits to get this season going and I can’t wait for the first “GAME�. For me that is Richland Springs hosting Abilene Christian High School on Thursday August 31st. I know not everyone can go to that but let me tell you that should be on heck of a game. These two teams had one loss each last season with Richland Springs lone loss coming to Throckmorton in the State Semi Finals and ACHS loss to Aspermont enroute to winning a State Championship in the “Private� schools. Remember that is on a Thursday night so come on to Richland Springs and let’s get this sucker going!!!!!!!!!

Don Hardin
txsixii@yahoo.com
Don Hardin’s Six-Man Central Yahoo Group http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/sixmancentral/

If you like football, YOU WILL LOVE SIX-MAN!!!!

I feel good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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